Adrian Beltre's go-ahead single with two outs in the eighth inning capped a five-run rally, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 8-7 on Thursday night.Yuniesky Betancourt tied the score with a two-run double off Dan Wheeler (0-4) and the Mariners came back from a six-run deficit to win for only fourth time in 19 games. They moved with 5 1/2 games of the New York Yankees, who lead the AL wild-card race.
Ichiro Suzuki had three hits and two RBIs for Seattle, which overcame a poor start by Jeff Weaver and earned its 41st comeback victory this season. Betancourt also had a big hit Wednesday night, a ninth-inning single that gave the Mariners a 6-5 win over Oakland.
Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-0) struck out five consecutive batters and worked 2 1-3 scoreless innings for his first major league win. J.J. Putz tossed a perfect ninth for his 38th save in 40 chances.
Devil Rays rookie Jason Hammel, who grew up 20 miles from Seattle, allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked none, but Tampa Bay's bullpen failed to hold a 7-1 lead.
Betancourt hit an RBI double in the seventh off Grant Balfour, and Suzuki's run-scoring single cut it to 7-3 before Beltre grounded into an inning-ending double play with runners at the corners.
Raul Ibanez and Jose Guillen walked to start the eighth against Scott Dohmann. Wheeler entered and gave up a single to Ben Broussard that loaded the bases. Jose Vidro grounded into a run-scoring double play, but Kenji Johjima hit an RBI single and went to second on a single by pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed.
Betancourt's two-run double to left tied it, Suzuki was intentionally walked and Beltre's single put Seattle ahead. Previously, the largest deficit the Mariners had overcome to win this year was five runs in a 15-11 victory over the Yankees on May 4.
The Devil Rays, who entered with a 6.19 bullpen ERA, had an 8-1 lead Tuesday night against Boston before losing 16-10.
Greg Norton homered and drove in three runs for the Devil Rays, who drew three bases-loaded walks in a four-run second. Brendan Harris had an RBI single.
Weaver gave up five runs and six hits in 1 1-3 innings, his
second-shortest outing this season. Notes: It was the fourth start this season that Weaver worked three innings or fewer. ... Hammel has a 2.13 ERA in three September starts. His six innings matched a career high.
Mariners 8, Devil Rays 7 - New York Times